The Future
by Lemonly
Summary: The original New Directions member later in life.
1. Background

**Characters:**

**William and Emma Schuester: **They got married shortly after getting back together. Emma is still the school councilor. Will is now the principal. He was very happy when most of the original New Directions had applied for jobs. When a student brought up wanting a Musical Theater class, he immediately contacted the last two members. Luck for him, they were already planning on moving back home.

Chloe: She looks just like her dad but has her mom's big eyes. She really wants to go into theater, making Rachel Berry her favorite person. She never let's what others say about her dream get to her. She's 18, senior.

**Artie:** He is a single man and wouldn't have it any other way. He went to Boston University and got his degree in graphic design. He teaches a class on it at William McKinley now. He had a surgery and some therapy and is able to walk.

Sarah: Artie's love child with a girl friend from college. Sarah is really smart but tries hide it so no one will label her a geek. She is with her dad every other week. Her mom lives in the next town over, so she is enrolled in William McKinley. She's 18, senior.

**Rachel and Noah Puckerman:** Surprised everyone by getting married halfway through their freshman year at NYU, though they had been dating secretly since Rachel broke up with Finn the last week of the summer before their junior year. Rachel got has a degree in music, performing arts and education and Noah has a degree in business, music, and producing/broadcasting. He is a successful music producer and she is a huge Broadway star. Noah just opened a studio in Lima for the people hoping to record cheap demos. Rachel was offered the position of the Musical Theater class and Noah will be assisting her at William McKinley High. The two are also expected to attempt to get the glee club back in order. They decided it would be to their advantage to take the job and move back home.

Elijah: Their oldest child and acts just like his father. He looks like his mom but with his dad's darker skin. He is fiercely protective of his sisters and tries to overlook the fact that he won't always be able to protect them. He's 18, senior.

Caroline: Their oldest daughter. She looks just like her dad. The first time Noah held her, she had him wrapped around her finger, and he immediately thought of Sweet Caroline, her parents' song. She is ten months younger than Ely. She's 18, senior.

Adonai: He looks like his father, but with his mom's big brown eyes. He tries to stay out of his older brother's shadow but everyone outside of his family always pushes him back in. He is very much a momma's boy and is proud of it. He hopes to be a famous Broadway director. He's 17, junior.

Chelsea: She is very much her father's daughter. She's the perfect mix of her parent's looks but her personality and ambitions are all her dad. She is very out spoken and is often made fun of for it. She is named after one of Rachel's aunts. She's 16, sophomore.

Jeremiah: Looks just like his father, mohawk and all. He's usually calm and collected but he has a temper. He wants to be just like his oldest brother; the only difference between them is that he knows exactly what he wants to do. He is going to open up a recording studio that will do free demos for those hoping to go into musical theater. He's 16, ten months younger than Chelsea, sophomore.

Shelby: Her mom's mini-me, right down to personality and ambitions. She looks more like VA's Shelby than Rachel, hence way they chose to name her after her. She is highly ambitious and knows that she's going to make it big. She's 15, freshman.

Micah: His mom's mini-me. He is Shelby's twin and acts the exact same as her. The only difference between the two is that he wants to be a producer. He has done all the research for it and has already started on making it happen by helping his dad around the studio. He's 15, freshman.

**Quinn and Finn: **Finn ended up marrying Quinn after he realized Rachel wasn't coming back to him. They both went to Ohio State. Quinn got her degree in fashion design and currently owns a boutique in downtown Lima that's full of her designs, as well as being a fashion design teacher at William McKinley. Finn got his degree in coaching and is now the football and basketball coach for William McKinley High.

Charlotte: She is a carbon copy of her mother. She's captain of the Cheerios and the apple of her mother's eye. She plans on getting a degree in fashion design so that she can take over her mom's shop at some point. She's 18, senior.

Ethan: Just like his father in every way. From his looks to his "smarts" to being the quarterback. He has no idea what he wants to do, but does know that he wants out of Lima. He doesn't really care about football, but his dad makes him stick with it. He's 17, junior.

**Mike and Tina Chang: **They surprised everyone by getting married. At the end of the summer before leaving for college, Artie and Tina broke up, having become so close as friends, it began to feel kind of awkward. Tina and Mike met up at University of Wisconsin—Madison and felt a connection. They got together in their sophomore year and got married shortly after graduating. His degree is in athletic training and her's is in art and education. Mike is the athletic trainer at William McKinley High and Tina teaches art there.

Kai: A dancer like his dad and an artist like his mom. He looks more like his mom. He doesn't act like his parents did in high school. On the contrary, he never shuts up and has been given various detentions for talking too much. They joke that he has spent too much time with his Aunt Rachel.

**Santana and Brittany Lopez:** Both went to University of Indiana and got degrees in education. Santana took over for Sylvester when she retired as coach of the Cheerios, but also teaches gym. Brittany helps Santana with coaching but teaches Desktop Publishing.

Rizzo: Due to developments in science, they were able to have a child together. She is a carbon copy of Santana, including the way she treats those she doesn't like. She is the co-captain of the Cheerios but hates Charlotte. She's 18, senior.

Emma: Their other "science child", as Noah calls them. She looks and acts just like Brittany, but has Santana's common sense and "smarts". She is the other co-captain of the Cheerios. She is fiercely loyal to Rizzo and would do anything for her. She's 17, junior.

**Matt:** A happy bachelor and content to stay that way. He went to University of Florida and got a degree in teaching and Spanish. He works at William McKinley as the Spanish teacher. He is the favorite teacher in the school. He also helps coach the football team.

Landon: Matt's godson. Matt gained custody of him after his other brother and his wife died in a car crash when Landon was one. Landon is on the football team and basketball team. He loves having Matt as a coach. Even though he knows about his parents, he still calls Matt dad. He's 18, senior.

**Mercedes and Kurt:** They live together in. They went to University of Texas—Houston together. Kurt's degree is in English and education. He teaches Creative Writing at William McKinley. Mercedes got her degree in English and education as well and now teaches an African-American Literature class at William McKinley.

**Background:**

Everyone gets together at least four times a year. Well, everyone except Finn, Quinn and their kids, Mercedes, and Kurt. The others go to Rachel and Noah's Fifth Avenue townhouse for a week. They are very involved in each other's lives and the lives of the kids.


	2. First Day Part 1

***First day of school***

Rachel and Noah walked into their old high school hand in hand. Making their way to the teacher's lounge to meet the rest of the staff, they noticed that nothing had changed.

"Rachel? Rachel Berry?" Finn Hudson's voice greeted her. Before Rachel or Noah could say anything, Finn hugged the petite girl tightly. Once he released her, she straightened her t-shirt and stepped closer to Noah.

"You know very well that it's not Berry anymore." Rachel chastised, smiling up at Noah.

"Is _the _Rachel Berry wearing jeans?" Quinn's voice came from behind. Her eyes took in that Rachel was wearing a normal outfit. She had on an orange t-shirt with a gold heart, a pair of form-fitting jeans, and black high heels.

"Hello Quinn," Rachel responded quietly. _I just got here and she's already criticizing me._

"It's Puckerman now, Quinn." Noah corrected, pulling Rachel into his arms as if sensing her discomfort.

"How could I forget?" Quinn responded. Before she could say anything else, the rest of the Originals showed up, followed by Schuester.

"RACHEL!" Santana, Brittany, and Tina screeched in unison, running to the girl. Noah quickly let go of his wife so he wouldn't be taken down in the ambush. He greeted Mike, Matt, and Artie enthusiastically. When the girls were done with their reunion, Rachel hugged the boys and Noah hugged the girls. Emma and Will greeted the happy couple last. A throat cleared loudly, causing everyone to freeze. Mercedes and Kurt stepped forward, stopping in front of Rachel.

"Rachel," Mercedes said.

"Mercedes," Rachel replied.

"Rachel," this from Kurt.

"Kurt," was Rachel's reply.

Everyone held their breath through the exchange, waiting for blow-up. It never came. Mercedes and Kurt spun on heel and left the room. Rachel hung her head and Noah hugged her tightly. As this happened, Finn and Quinn excused themselves. The bell rang shortly after and Noah and Rachel made their way to the auditorium, their classroom. Sitting on the desk was a folder and Noah's guitar case. Opening the folder, they saw the class roaster. Noah sat down in the chair and pulled Rachel into his lap. The students slowly started coming into the room. Once it looked like almost everyone was there, they got up. Looking at the list of names again, they saw that there was only one kid that they didn't know. They walked onto the stage together as the door opened. The kid quickly sat down with the rest of the class. Calling off the names they knew quickly, they marked them all. Now for the one they didn't know.

"Justin Light?"

"Here…" the kid that walked in late said.

"Okay. We are Noah and Rachel Puckerman. You can call whatever you want, this is a very informal class." Rachel started. Before she could continue someone walked onto the stage behind her.

"And I'm Jesse St. James. I will be your third teacher for this course." The man said. Rachel let out a gasp and blushed slightly when he gave her his "sexy" look. Seeing this, Noah glared at him.

"If I remember correctly, I still owe you a beating for that egg stunt, oh so long age." Noah said threateningly.

"Boys, this isn't the time." Rachel said before Jesse could reply. She placed a hand on Noah's arm and he instantly relaxed.


	3. First Day Part 2

"We figured that today, we start working on Duets." Noah stated, eyes not leaving Jesse, who was moving a little too close to his wife.

"Now duets aren't just about singing. They're about letting the audience feel the emotion. Showing them that how you really feel about the person you're singing with. If you have a love song, find a way to express that love. If you have a song about a deep friendship, make sure the people watching you understand that. We will demonstrate two different types of duets. A faster one and a slower one." Rachel said, already having discussed to two with Noah. He went to get his guitar but Jesse had started playing the piano.

"Rachel and I will be doing Lionel Richie's 'Hello' for you guys." Jesse said. The Puckerman kids gasped. They had heard all about Jesse. To this day, their mom can't be around eggs without tears needing to quickly be wiped away. They had witnessed the pain she still felt from his betrayal. Elijah looked over at his dad and saw his fist and jaw clenched. He stood and went over to him as his mom and Jesse sang their song.

"You okay dad?" he asked.

"No, I'm not. If St. Douche thinks he can come and win her over again with that song, then… That was the song that originally brought them together. I don't want all the pain he caused her to come back." Noah responded, he could never lie to his oldest son, something Elijah got from his mother.

"But mom loves you, dad." Elijah was so much like his mom at times, Noah just had to laugh.

"Yeah, I know buddy," Noah chuckled, "but, I still wonder why she chose me, sometimes? She could have done so much better than me, she deserved so much better than me. I was absolutely horrible to her for so long. Out of nowhere, though, she became my world. I meant every word of Sweet Caroline when I serenaded her."

"That's what Caroline's name symbolizes."

"Yeah."

There conversation was cut short but a resounding slap as Jesse tried to kiss Rachel. Noah was out of his chair immediately.

"If you ever try a stunt like that again, I will hurt you." Rachel whispered, furiously. She refused to lose her cool in front of her kids. She pulled out of his grip and stalked across the stage to talk to the band about the next song. Noah walked up on stage and grabbed Jesse's arm as he passed.

"Don't think that just because I'm whipped, that I am any less capable of beating the crap out of you. Got it? You had your chance and you blew it!" Noah whispered darkly. He smirked as he saw the glares on his sons' faces as Jesse walked by them.

"Alright, now Noah and I will be performing 'Something to Believe In', featured in the tv movie Spectacular! And performed by won Regionals for New Directions in our senior year." Rachel smiled up at Noah.

After they finished performing, their class cheered loudly. Noah smirked down at her and kissed her, same as he did the last time they performed that song. This was greeted by cheers from their honorary nieces and nephews and choruses of "DAD", "EEEEEW", "GUYS", GROSS", and "WHEN WILL YOU STOP ACTING LIKE THE TEENAGE COUPLE YOU AREN'T AND START ACTING LIKE THE PROFESSIONAL ADULT PARENTS YOU ARE"s from their kids. Rachel pulled away, giggling slightly.

"Your homework is to pick a partner to do a duet with. We will have a list of songs for you to pick from tomorrow. Have a good day." Rachel said. The bell rang and the class got up and left. Caroline began to walk out of the auditorium with Kai when she paused. She told him to wait for her and ran back up on stage.

"Dad!" she yelled. He turned around and she hugged him tightly. "Hey daddy. I didn't get to say good morning to you today. You were gone by the time I got up."

"Morning, Princess," Noah said, hugging his oldest daughter once more and watching her run up to Kai and then out the door. Rachel laughed as she walked over to him.

"Ah, she's daddy's girl, isn't she?" Santana asked as she walked down the center aisle, shaking her head as Caroline ran out the door dragging Kai by his shirt sleeve.

"By far. She has had Noah wrapped around her finger since she was born." Rachel said lacing her arm through his and walking to meet Santana.

"More like since I found out that we were having a girl." Noah corrected. Santana laughed, then stopped when she saw Jesse.

"Why are you here, St. Douche?" she asked with venom.

"He is apparently the third teacher for this course." Noah informed the Latina.

"And Shue hired him! I will be having a talk with that man."

"San, please, don't turn this into a Sue Sylvester vs William Schuester Battle Royale." Rachel tired to reason.

"But first things first. You are not welcome to the staff. Rachel is now married to Noah Puckerman. You have no more chances with her…EVER. So, if I hear that you have hit on her or have tied any funny business, then I will hurt you. GOT IT, PRETTY BOY! Good. Now, welcome to the staff of McKinley High…NOT." Santana rounded on Jesse, effectively scaring him for the moment.

"I guess we should talk to Shue now." Noah said, taking Rachel's hand and leading her out of the auditorium.


	4. More of the First Day

"Mr. Shue, we need to talk!" Santana exclaimed, leading the Puckermans into Shue's office. Shuester groaned when the cheerio coach walked into the room.

" Yes, Santana?" the principal asked. When he saw the Puckermans enter as well, he realized why they were there.

"What on earth would possess you to hire St. Douche? Especially to team teach a class with Rachel and Puck. How was that a good idea?" the Latina yelled furiously.

"Jesse is very talented. He's been in a couple Broadway productions. I figured he be good to help teach the class. The more experience the teachers have in the subject they're teaching, the better. And combined, those three have a lot experience and expertise."

"If he does anything to try to ruin that relationship, I will personally make the rest of your years here a living hell. You think Sue Sylvester was bad? You haven't had to deal with Santana Lopez. There's a reason I was Top Bitch in high school."

With that Santana lead Rachel and Puck out of the office. Shue watched them go and dropped his head in his hands, shaking it slightly.

"What's wrong, Will?" Emma asked, walking into the office.

"I have managed to call down the wrath of Santana Lopez. It's going to turn into a Will Shuester/Sue Sylvester battle royale again. Why didn't you talk me out of hiring Jesse?"

"You were so happy about it. I didn't want to bring up that it might not be a good idea."

"Why did I let Finn convince me that it was a good idea? How could I have believed that Rachel would be happy to see him again?"

"Hudson convinced you to hire St. James? Oh, it's on!" Puck exclaimed, leaving the door way and ignoring his wife's cries of, "Noah, please! You aren't a teenager in school anymore! It's never good to settle things with your fists! Noah!"

*Meanwhile*

"So, you wanna do the assignment together?" Kai asked as he and Caroline walked it to their second hour class.

"Sure." Caroline responded sitting down.

"Sweet. Do you know what songs we'll be choosing from?"

"No. They'll most likely be putting the list together tomorrow morning. They'll be spending most of the afternoon at my dad's studio putting the finishing touches on everything. The bed of the truck was full of painting stuff so, they'll be there awhile."

"Cool."

Before they could say anything else, the teacher walked in and began class.

*With Puck and Rachel*

"Hudson! We gotta talk!" Puck stated, walking into Finn's office in the locker room, Rachel close behind him.

"About?" the coach asked in a bored tone.

"You convinced Shuester to hire St. James. Why?"

"I thought it would be a good thing for Rachel to have someone helping her that actually knew something about what they are teaching. You have never done anything with musical theater."

"I may not know a lot about musical theater, but I do know what it takes. And, HELLO!, music major! I know talent. I have worked with a lot of talented artists. And, I'll have you know, THAT is also important to have as a teacher of Musical Theater."

With that, Puck stormed out of the office. Rachel through Finn a look and ran after her husband. She found him sitting on the bleachers.

"Hey," She said, sitting next to him.

"Hey," he responded, sending her a smirk.

"What's on your mind?"

"Why would Finn convince Shue to do that? Especially, if you were going to be the other teacher."

"Noah? What are you really worried about?"

"You picked St. James over me once. I guess I'm just worried that you'll do it again."

"Noah Elijah Puckerman! We have been married for nineteen years! I am not about to leave you for the guy who crushed my heart. Who forced me to meet my mom, only to have her decide, once again, that she didn't want me. Noah, I love you and only you."

"I know, babe, I know. But I can't help but wonder why."

"Because you fought for me. Because you rescued me."

"I guess I did, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Our story is told by these bleachers." Puck realized.

"How so?"

"Well, we broke off our whatever it was here. And then, the first day of summer, I had asked you to meet me here, I asked you out and you said you were with Finn. Then we found him cheating on you under them with Quinn and I comforted you on them. You asked a few weeks later if my offer still stood and I said yes. We were sitting her and it was during a break in football camp. The night of our biggest game, and first win, I told you I loved you, here. We were sitting here after another Rachel-Bash glee session and you asked me to run away with you. We were gone for two weeks and they were the best two weeks of my life. Senior year, after we won Regionals, I brought you here to ask you to marry me. And…" Puck took her hand and brought her over to the press box. She gasped when she saw NP+RB in a heart with Forever written next to it in spray paint. "I didn't have the courage to show you when we were in high school, I wrote it halfway through junior year. I love you so much, Rach."

Rachel pressed her lips against his and he backed her up against the press box wall. She let out a whimper when she pulled away.

"Noah," Rachel giggled, "it's our first day on the job and we can't really have someone catch us making out against the press box. Imagine how mortified our children would be."

"I had a lot more than making out on my mind," Puck growled, grinding against her and nipping her neck.

"Not here," Rachel stated, pushing him away lightly and starting back toward the school.

Puck growled and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the truck and shoving her in, Rachel giggling the whole time.


	5. Regionals Senior Year

"Look what I found," Brittany said, walking into the choir room carrying a tape.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"The tape from Regionals our senior year!" Brittany said excitedly, jumping up and down.

"No way!" Santana said, rushing over to her wife. The former New Direction members began fussing about it. When Rachel and Puck walked into the room, they were swept over to the group.

Santana put it in and they all sat down to reminisce.

_Finn  
I used to see the world as cold, so cold._

Rachel  
I always felt so all alone, Ooh.

Finn  
How did you know you'd find me here? yeah

Rachel  
How did you ever see behind my tears? yeah

BOTH  
I never realized,

Rachel  
How anyone could,

BOTH  
Make everything so right

Rachel  
I was so sad, you brought me back  


_The sparks machine went off and Puck stopped Finn from continuing. Rachel spun around and she smiled for the first time during the performance._

_Puck  
OOOOOHH!_

BOTH  
You give me something to believe in, after all that we've been through, the love you give, it all comes back to you.  
You give me something to believe in, you can see the real me, and here, with you, is where im meant to be!  


_Puck  
I dont have to imagine anymore, no._

Rachel  
All the time it was you

BOTH  
I was waiting for! And here we are together, side by side, and nothing seems impossible tonight!  
You look inside my heart, and seem to get me from the start, we've got the chance, to make this last.  
You give me something to believe in, after all that we've been through, the love you give, it all comes back to you!  
You give me something to believe in, You can see the real me, and here, with you, is where I'm meant to be,

Rachel  
Lift us up, so high up, higher than high, now we realize

ALL  
All, its takes, is love, to find us, guide us all, the way, that;s the one thing you can trust  
All, we need, is love, to reach out, show out,

BOTH  
We belong here together

ALL  
You give me something to believe in, After all that we've been through, The love you give, it all comes back to you.  


_Puck  
Comes back to you!_

BOTH  
You give me something to believe in, you can see the real me, and here, with you, is where I'm meant to be!

_Puck pulled Rachel against him and kissed her with as much passion as he could. The school now knew Rachel Berry was his girl._

"_I love you, Rach," he murmured against her lips._

"_I love you, too, Noah," Rachel responded, smiling._

As the video ended, Finn glared at Puck. That was the day he realized he would never get his chance with Rachel. Quinn rolled her eyes. Everyone thought that was so romantic, she thought it was overrated.

"Oh my God, I forgot how that performance ended," Artie said.

"It was so romantic!" Brittany gushed.

"Looks like nothing's changed," Santana said, pointing to where Puck and Rachel sat, making out.

"That's disgusting! They should be acting like adults." Quinn said acting like it was a huge scandal.

"Just because they've been together for so long and are still in love doesn't mean you should resent them." Santana snapped.

"So, what are the Puckerman's up to tonight?" Matt asked.

"Well, me and Rach are heading over to the studio building to paint until dinner. After dinner, we'll probably just chill at home, plan for tomorrow." Puck answered.

"How about Friday, you guys all come over for dinner. It'll be fun." Rachel proposed.

"Sounds like a plan." Mike responded.

"We had better head out, Rach, if we want to be anywhere by 6 tonight." Puck said, standing up and offering Rachel his hand.

She took it and they headed out of the school.

"It's refreshing. After so long together, they're still happy." Tina said, watching them go.

"Oh, please," Quinn scoffed, leaving the room.

The rest of the group rolled their eyes at her as Finn followed her.


End file.
